Discord infects Erdogan and Bahceli, too

TURKEY - In Brief 22 Nov 2023 by Atilla Yesilada

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With roughly four months left to Turkey’s fateful municipal elections, the discord so prevalent among main opposition parties now infected governing partners Erdogan and Bahceli, too. Erdogan desperately wants a new Constitution to grant him eligibility for a third term—and beyond. He opened the discourse on the subject in a roundabout way, by proposing to amend the rule governing presidential elections. He and several AKP heavyweights advocate a new rule which would allow the first round winner to be crowned president. To recall, the current rule ordains that unless a candidate wins 50% plus 1 of the valid ballots, there is a run-off. Bahceli defended the current rule, but signaled that he is open to help Erdogan to be reelected. Erdogan first broached the subject of new rules for presidential elections on his way back from Germany. His nationalist ally Bahceli, loudly objected on Tuesday that while the presidential system may be revised to increase functionality, the 50% plus 1 vote is its very core, imbuing legitimacy to an all-powerful presidency which is superior to both the judiciary and the legislature. Many independent experts claim that Erdogan wants to get rid of Bahceli, whose antagonism has become a serious obstacle to regain the Kurdish vote. Without the Kurdish vote, Erdogan is forced into ever more unpalatable alliances like the fiercely Islamist New Welfare and Kurdish secessionist and pro-Sheriah HUDA-PAR. I don’t agree with this interpretation. While the party is extremely unhappy with MHP’s ultranationalist stance and Bahceli’s veto on all major policy decisions, Erdogan must know full well that the current parliamentary arithmetic closes the door to...